You Totally Can Get Off Spotify
A list of better streamers & music discovery platforms
There are a lot of problems with Spotify.
Founder Daniel Ek is pouring €600 million into AI War Technology
They actively ran ICE recruiting ads
They pay artists heinously (or not at all)…
despite raising prices for the third time in less than 3 years…
…and they make a shitty product!1
As outlined in my last two posts, Spotify has been systematically prioritizing generic, knockoff music that they own over real music made by artists—and that’s only going to get worse with the rise of AI.
So, what can we do about it?
Well…Stop using Spotify.
There are great alternatives—and transferring your library/playlists is quick and easy .(instructions at the bottom)
From DJ-curated mood playlists, to creative music co-ops, to identical services that do the same damn thing just better, below is a list of Spotify alternatives to explore.
Let me know what you’ve been using, if there’s anything I missed, or if you had a good experience switching.
Let’s spread the word.
-DR
A List of Spotify Alternatives
The Same Thing But Better
These guys do exactly what Spotify does…they’re just not corporate behemoths.
Deezer—This French streaming platform’s been around for ages and offers an identical service to Spotify but with higher quality audio, a more well-regarded recommendations engine—and a clearly stated opposition to AI music. Deezer’s the first streamer to implement an AI music labeling system2 and has been vocal about upgrading their detection and takedown abilities.
Qobuz—Another streamer that’s known for a music-focused > social media approach. It’s got higher res audio and fewer algorithmic suggestions, meaning they put album listening and intentional streaming on the forefront, catering to music nerds and investing heavily in their design and UX…plus they pay artists better.
Resonate —A music co-op3 and the world’s first “community owned music streaming service,” Resonate doesn’t have a monthly subscription: you pay about 1/4 of a penny every time you play a song — but once you play a song 9 times, you “own the song” and don’t have to pay again. You support artists directly and only pay for the music you listen to. Artists make more; you pay less.
Mainstream Alternatives
These guys do exactly what Spotify does…but are corporate behemoths.
They’re just less dick-ish about it.
Tidal — Fairly identical to Spotify but with higher quality audio and better artist payouts. It’s what most of my Produce/Engineer friends have been using for years.
Soundcloud — You’ll get DJ sets and indie uploads NOT on major streamers, plus Soundcloud now has a paid tier just like Spotify full of all the normal stuff.
Apple Music — You’ve probably got a 3-month trial somewhere, so might as well. It’s Apple…but it’s UX is great and they do a much better job of “presenting art” rather than “recommending content.”
Human, Curated Discovery
Sometimes we DON’T WANT to choose. A DJ is a beautiful thing!
These services offer real DJs and human curation to fit any mood or vibe. No slop.
Radioooooo—The main UX is a globe where you pick a country and a decade and it plays DJ curated music…from that country and that decade. ‘70s Ethiopia is dope!
They’ve also got mood playlists and other shuffle options. I’ve been on this one for a while and featured it in a post last year.
Mixcloud—A platform built on “handcrafted curation” that’s built a community of DJs, producers, and beloved musicians who build and share their playlists and podcasts.
NTS—Pick between live radio DJs spinning different moods 24/7 from all over the world, or pick back through the archives based on moods and vibes.
The Infinite Loop — A Curator and DJ here on Substack who puts together a regular radio show and playlist. This is basically all I listen to now.
Other Options…For The Real Ones
Bandcamp—The most artist friendly of ‘em all! They actually sell music (what a concept!). You can support artists directly and buy digital (and physical) version of their music.
Find a good radio station! Try wFUV or KCRW. They’ve got apps you can download or you can listen online. Support public radio!
Substack! — Lots of artists big and small (doechii’s here now…) — but even more artist communities (like Michael Gilbride with Mad Records), music journalists (like Chris Hedden) and curators (like Jens). Plenty of cool music to find and hear.
How To Transfer Your Playlists/Library From Spotify
It’s easy! A lot of these services will offer it to you in the sign up process. I’m pretty sure my Grandma could figure it out.
If not, you can use one of the services below to get all your playlists, liked songs, etc. synced over to their new home.
Let’s share our experiences. Any lessons learned from switching? Any more recommendations? Just want to complain more about Spotify?
Their design is UGLY, their UX unintuitive, they just bury you in the same shit over and over again—and they’re replacing real music with generic slop!
They’re also now opening up that detection tool to other platforms…let’s see who takes them up on it!
For my fellow leftists LET’S GET IT!!!!!
Great piece, with some new options I hadn’t heard off! Ditched Spotify when they stopped paying artists for their first streams and wish I’d done it sooner.
That’s fantastic! This is a brilliant little guide for all the listeners out there. My previous and current bands often struggle to get heard partly because of Spotify’s recommendations.
We’ve always aimed for dedicated listeners who’ll return to our music.
Thanks for sharing this. I’ve subscribed and followed.